Landscape maintenance is unregulated in Oregon and does not require a license with the State of Oregon. However, you should check with your city or county for local license or permit requirements. You should also check with the Secretary of State regarding registering your business name.

walls, walkways, concrete landscape edging or ornamental water features

▪Install, maintain or repair drainage systems and ornamental water features

Can I advertise for landscape maintenance?

Yes.You may advertise for any type of maintenance work.A landscape maintenance business may also use a form of the word “landscape” in the business name ONLY if the title clearly indicates the maintenance nature of the business.“XYZ Landscape Service” does not clearly indicate this. “XYZ Landscape Maintenance” or “XYZ Yard Maintenance” or “XYZ Yard Service” are a few business names that would all comply with the law. You cannot advertise under the heading “landscape contractor” or any other heading that implies you may be a landscape contracting business.

May I do actual landscaping construction work without a landscape contracting business

license?

Yes, if you meet ALL of the following criteria:

▪Performing ongoing maintenance work for a regular customer during the year

▪Limited to $500 worth (labor and materials) of this type of landscape work per job site, per year; and

▪The work must be “casual, minor, or inconsequential” (see below for definition)

PLEASE NOTE:You CANNOT advertise for this work since it can only be performed for existing customers.

Casual, minor or inconsequential means:

▪Replacement planting of shrubs, vines, trees and nursery stock which are similar

in habit and culture

▪Replacement of existing lawns

▪Planting of annuals, perennials and bulbs in existing beds

▪Non-concrete landscape edging

▪Three or fewer malfunctioning sprinkler heads with heads of the same or of a

similar type and hydraulic equivalency per job sitesimilar type and hydraulic

equivalency per job site

May I repair irrigation/sprinkler systems if they are already installed?

No.

May I prune or remove trees?

The Construction Contractors Board (CCB) has jurisdiction over tree work.Please contact them for information regarding exemptions.

May I plant trees?

No.You may replace the tree if you meet the requirements listed in question #5 above.

What if I’m asked to replace a section of lawn? Do I need to be licensed?

You may do patch repair work to fill-in or even-out the lawn area for a regular maintenance customer.You must meet the requirements listed in question #5 above.

Can I spread gravel for a walkway when it is part of the maintenance work?

You can “refresh” the gravel of an existing path or walkway.You cannot create a new walkway or install edging.

What if I only design landscapes and I don’t install?

Landscape design work does not require a license as long as the designs do not include construction details or specifications.

Can I subcontract to have the landscaping work performed?

No.You would be required to have a LCB or CCB license in order to arrange and contract for the installation of the work.

Do I need to be licensed to apply pesticides?

The Department of Agriculture issues Pesticide Applicators Licenses.You can contact them at 503-986-4550 for their requirements.

If you would like to apply for either your landscape construction professional license or the landscape contracting business license, you may download the applications and qualification from the forms section of our website.

landscaping (unless followed by a word such as maintenance) landscape (unless followed by a word such as maintenance) landscaper install, installation repair plant, planting sprinkler systems irrigation construction replace lawn or sod

You may not advertise under the heading of “Landscaping” or “Landscape Contractors” in any advertising media. You may place an ad under a heading such as “Yard Work” or “Yard Maintenance” or “Lawn Maintenance”.

You may use the title “landscape” in your business name, but it must be follow by something that clearly shows the maintenance nature of the business, such as “Joe’s Landscape Maintenance Company”.

A landscape maintenance business may not advertise for casual, minor or inconsequential work. This work includes the replacement of shrubs, vines, trees and nursery stock which are similar in habit and culture; the replacement of existing lawns, the planting of annuals, perennials and bulbs in existing beds; the replacement of non-concrete landscape edging; the replacement of three or fewer malfunctioning sprinkler heads with heads of the same or of a similar type and hydraulic equivalency. (Only a licensed landscape contracting business may install or repair irrigation/sprinkler systems.) A maintenance business may perform this casual, minor or inconsequential work for a customer that is on contract for on going maintenance (if less than $500 for labor and material) but can not advertise for these services.